Effect of diclofenac pretreatment on pain during propofol injection

In a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, 120 ASA 1 or 2 patients were allocated to receive diclofenac or normal saline as pretreatment to assess their effect on incidence and severity of pain during propofol injection. Diclofenac in two different doses, i.e. 25 mg and 15 mg, was tried for this purpose. The overall incidence of pain did not significantly differ among the groups, but the incidence of moderate to severe pain following propofol injection was significantly less in patients who received diclofenac 25 mg (P = 0.0017) or 15 mg (P = 0.0363) than in those who received saline. However, the diclofenac itself was associated with mild pain in some patients.